News

Urgent Response Needed to Support Beef Producers, IFA Says

31 August 2017

IRELAND - IFA President Joe Healy has said that urgent Government action is needed to counteract the serious damage being done to farming enterprises in the beef and mushroom sectors arising from the recent sharp decline of Sterling.

Mr Healy said, "Sterling has been falling since April, when the UK general election was called, and it was at 85p:€1. The decline has accelerated in recent weeks, with Sterling falling to 93p:€1 by the end of August."

The beef and mushroom sectors are coming under intolerable price pressure as a result of this decline, Mr Healy has said.

The IFA President said, "Government cannot afford to wait any longer to provide direct support for beef farmers and mushroom growers who are being impacted today by the Sterling depreciation. Unless action is taken promptly, irreparable damage may be caused to the viability of beef farmers and mushroom producers.

"I have written to Minister Michael Creed to highlight the need for urgent Government and EU action.

"It is imperative that the Government now seek EU support for farm level measures that will counteract the price drops being experienced, which are arising directly from the Sterling depreciation, independent of other normal market forces.

"IFA clearly signalled the need for this support at our Brexit event in April, in the event of the kind of significant Sterling devaluation that has now occurred."